The present invention relates to novel implements for and methods of emptying the contents of a conventional ostomy pouch and, more specifically, to a simple, manually manipulated instrument and method of use thereof in facilitating evacuation of the contents of an ostomy pouch.
Surgical procedures providing substitute paths for evacuation of body wastes necessitated by removal or lack of function of basic elements of the gastrointestinal or urinary tracts have been successfully practised for many years. For example, the two principal types of surgeries involving the intestinal tract are colostomy and ileostomy. A number of variants of these procedures, as well as other types of ostomy surgery are commonly performed, over one million Americans being ostomates and over 100,000 more people in the United States undergoing ostomy surgery each year.
The bowel waste and other effluent diverted through the colon to the surface of the abdomen is discharged through a surgically-created exit or "stoma" into a flexible bag or pouch having an opening communicating therewith. The cost of the pouches, and frequency with which they must be emptied and/or replaced, often makes it economically unfeasible to discard the pouches with each replacement. Thus, drainable pouches are conventionally used to permit emptying the contents through an opening in one end, remote from the stoma-communicating opening, into a suitable receptacle, whereby the pouch remains attached to the stoma for continuous use through multiple emptying cycles.
The emptying of the pouch is performed manually, removing the clamp normally sealing the drainage opening and directing the effluent into a toilet or other receptacle. The pouch is usually squeezed manually and may be flushed with water to complete the emptying operation. The pouch, particularly the end having the drainage opening, is wiped with tissues and the clamp replaced. The procedure is almost always very messy and disagreeable.
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved means and method of emptying ostomy pouches.
A further object is to provide a manually manipulated implement of simple, inexpensive design which greatly facilitates the task of emptying osotomy pouches.
Another object is to provide a method of emptying the contents of drainable ostomy pouches with the aid of a manually manipulated implement.
Other objects will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.